Current Child Count

HOGAR DE AMOR I: 11 babies

HOGAR DE AMOR II: 6 boys

HOGAR DE AMOR III: 8 girls

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Bolivia driver's license, installment #1

Sometimes you just have to play games with yourself. In these days of constant delays and frustrations with paper shuffling and bureaucracy in our kids' cases, I realized that blogging about all that I will have to go through to get a Bolivian drivers license could make it slightly less painful. This idea could possibly have come to me because of reading Angie's saga on her blog.

After all, if I have to go to two places rather than one, makes for a more pity evoking blog post, right? Right.

Keep in mind that I'm following suit of some fellow missionary friends and doing this the "easy" (but legal) way. A lawyer will guide me through the maze (yes a LAWYER...they use them for every. thing. here.).

So today...

printed out the list my friends sent me, a whole page long, and studied which documents I need...ironically, while driving, ha! I do have my TX license and an (expired) international license.

Called lawyer's office, no one answered

Called his cell and he says he'll be in the office soon. Perfect!

Passed by our accountant's office to pick up and copy:the rent contract of my house (also the Baby Home)last light bill paidlast water bill paid

Left my car parked by the accountant, walked several city blocks to lawyer's office

He wants a copy of my carnet (Bolivia ID card) to get started right away. I normally have a copy with me but just left the last one with the lawyer who will help renew my visa soon.

Make multiple copies of carnet, because I'm gonna need them in this whole process

Walk over a couple blocks to exchange money

Back to lawyer's office, leave him 500 Bs (about $71) and 150 Bs ($21), some for his work, some for background check and other papers

I wait about 15 minutes for him to type up and print a memorial (is that the word in English?) requesting the police check. He tends to some people in between, but not too bad of a wait for here! And he quizzed me with names of various foreigners he's helped in between. I knew them all. =)

He signs and I sign the memorial, then he asks for a copy of my passport. Sigh. I knew I should've brought it but I don't take it out for just anything and I didn't have time before to make copies (it's brand new).

Back in the office, I make copies of the passport picture page.

Several hours later I have a chance to run the copy to him. He says he'll call tomorrow about going to the police station.

Hm...was that as boring to read as it was to write?! I'm falling asleep while writing it. Could have something to do with getting up really early to pick up the new volunteers from the airport. Who consequently were not there because their flight connections didn't quite work out as they should've. And a super busy full day. But I wouldn't have it any other way!

Also met our next child today! Well I've met him before when he was still on the street, but today I "met" him knowing he's our next. He's the 4 1/2 year old brother of one of our little girls.

have fun with all of that Jen.... I'm thinking the word might be "memorandum" or memo like Denise said. I've been having trouble getting registered for school here, keep having to call and/or go by different offices and it's taking days.....reminded me of trying to get stuff done in Bolivia!

Jennifer's Family Blog

Current Prayer Needs, updated August 14, 2015

~ The financial situation for Casa de Amor is uncertain at the moment. Funding seems to have slowed, so please pray for financial wisdom for all of us and for donations to generously come.

~ Please pray for the newly functioning local board of directors. They have some big decisions to be making and are seeking God's wisdom.

~ Thank you for praying for a new social worker! A very experienced one began work with us on February 2.

~ Please pray for good progress to be made in the social cases of all of our children so that their papers can be processed for a return to family members OR adoption. Several cases are in the works now!

Baby Joel

Baby Gabriela

CDA Child Sponsorship

Click HERE to find out more about sponsoring one of these beautiful children!

No Names

Due to the nature of our work, Hogar de Amor has a policy of not posting kids pictures AND names together on the internet or public places. How I wish I could, but I could easily have people from Belgium to Canada and everywhere in between writing and asking "How can I adopt [fill in the blank]?" (You can't! Yet! They're mine.) Or many other scenarios which are not good for the kids/homes, so sorry about that...

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Favorite Quotes

"Attempt something so impossible that unless God is in it, it is doomed to failure."

"We can do no great things; only small things with great love." Mother Teresa

“What we think or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do." John Ruskin

"I am only one,
but I AM ONE.
And I cannot do everything,
but I can do SOMETHING.
And what I can do I WILL DO.
And what I will do, I MUST DO,
For I AM ONE." Helen Keller

Donations

Small amounts go far in Bolivia! To donate to our children, make checks payable to "GOAL" (Global Orphan Assistance League) and mail to GOAL/Casa de Amor at P.O. Box 357, Collierville, TN, 38027. All donations are tax deductible in the US. Thank you!!

blog awards

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Thanks, Adeye!

A lot of kiddos!!

Casa de Amor I, II, III, August 2008 Park Outing

"And Jesus took the children in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them." Mark 10:16